Why Can't I Breathe
by Lady Taevyn
Summary: Song Fic, EO. Dick Wolf owns the characters, I'm not sure who owns the song. It's not me though


Why Can't I Breathe  
  
Olivia's Apt.  
  
Olivia drags her Tired, worn-out body into her apartment, after what she considers to be one of the Longest days of her life. She left her apartment over 36 hours ago, hoping for a "Normal" day, when she walked into the precinct she knew it would be anything but that. There was already a buzz of activity, and the day had barely begun. They needed to act fast on this case, it involved Child Abduction. Finally 36 hours later the girl reunited with her worried family Olivia could go home and relax. As was standard with long days she wanted nothing more then to Forget it. To aid in that end she turned on the stereo in the living room and began her ritual of getting ready for bed. She Changed out of her staunch suit, into yoga pants, and a tank top. She decided to sit on the sofa, and Pray that sleep would eventually claim her overly tired brain. Before that could happen she heard the strains of a rather upbeat, teeny-bopperish song coming out of the radio she considers turning it off but instead pays minimal attention to it. That is till the chorus starts.  
"Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?"  
Her mind automatically sprints for the one place it shouldn't. Elliot, her Married Partner. She dwells on his bright blue eyes; they hold such warmth, love, and kindness. She feels the tears start to fall from her own. Trying in vain to stop them she hears the phone ring, and decides to let the machine get it. It's Elliot calling to let her know he got home, and to say good night. She has to laugh at this act; it's something he has been doing almost since the first day they met. He puts her in a cab watches it drive off, gets in his car goes home, and almost as soon as he is in the door before he even tells his own family he is home he takes the private time to call Olivia. She is glad she has one of those "old" answering machines that uses the tape. She doesn't hear the catch in his voice the first or second time she plays the message back. However after listening to it several times she hears the catch, and the song in the background. "Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?" At the end of the one sided conversation she is almost sure she hears the words "I love You". Trying desperately not to think about it, her mind runs circles around one question. Why? She makes a mental note to find out the name of the song, and who sings it. It may become one of her favorites. Since she has the day off tomorrow she will probably go to the "Record & Tape Trader's" music store down the block and buy the CD.  
  
Elliot's Home.  
  
He walks in the door, absolutely exausted from more then 36 hours at the SVU precinct. Where he would normally call Olivia right away, he decides to see his kids first. The case he just got done was a tough one. A little girl was abducted from her own front yard, the whole time he was working his mind kept going to his daughters. He sees that all of his children are safely tucked into bed. He doesn't want to wake Kathy, basically because he doesn't want to hear her acuse him, again of sleeping with Olivia. Their marriage is all but over, they are really just staying together for the kids sake. He has lost count of how many times he wished he were with Olivia, but that's not the way life worked. Truding back down the steps to the living room he turns on the radio quietly, and starts to drift into sleep. Realising he forgot to call his partner and let her know he was home ok, he picks up the phone and dials her number. He knows it makes her laugh when he calls. He barely hears the song playing, so he turns up the radio. "Hey it's Olivia, leave a message". Damn, he was hoping to talk to her. He loves the silky tone her voice takes on when she is tired. As he is talking inanely about nothing he hears the chorus of the song, and his voice catches. "Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you? Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you?" It's at that point he realizes his true feelings for Olivia, just before he hangs up he whispers the words he has stopped thinking of in conjunction with his wife "I Love You, Liv." He has tomorrow off, because of the long day. So his decision is made. He will ask Kathy for the Divorce they both know has been coming for the last 6 years. 


End file.
